UC San Diego just got city approval to transform a struggling downtown museum site into a cultural hub that will provide much-needed space for local nonprofits, artists and performers. University officials say they plan to spend more than $15 million turning the downtown campus of San Diego’s Museum of Contemporary Art into an arts magnet they are calling “The Depot.” The museum agreed to sell its downtown site to the university earlier this year, but the sale required city approval under a 2004 deal that allowed the museum to take over the Santa Fe Depot train station’s former baggage building. The City Council voted unanimously last week to approve a new deal for the site — an approval that university and museum officials said will allow them to close escrow by the end of the year. “We see this as an important pipeline that will attract and keep talent in San Diego, and a bridge to and from our campus — not just for students and artists, but for every member of our community,” said Colleen Smith, the university’s executive director of campus performance and events. UCSD has focused on boosting its presence downtown since the Blue Line trolley extension connecting the school’s booming La Jolla campus to downtown began running three years ago. Many local arts leaders are praising the deal, but some have expressed skepticism that UCSD will prioritize including small arts organizations and groups from the city’s underserved southern neighborhoods. Smith told the council the university is committed to including groups and artists that have been historically underrepresented in the arts. The renovated site will include spaces for art studios, rehearsals, exhibits, galleries and performances, she said. There will also be space for offices and administrative support. The university also plans to use a residency-incubator model instead of a renter model, making it easier for many artists to use the space. “San Diego has long struggled with a shortage of adaptable, accessible art spaces,” said Carlos Mendoza, director of education and outreach for Cygnet Theater. “The project presents an incredible opportunity to bridge those gaps.” The San Diego City Council approved the Museum of Contemporary Art’s sale of its building at 1100 Kettner Boulevard, shown Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, to UC San Diego. The school plans to turn it into a hub for local nonprofits, artists and performers. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Councilmember Stephen Whitburn praised the university’s plan. “I want to thank UC San Diego for investing in the arts downtown,” he said. “San Diegans are eager to see what comes next at this venue, and I am too.” In addition to creating new amenities, the university is planning a seismic retrofit and new heating and air conditioning systems. The purchase price UCSD is paying the museum for the site has not been disclosed. University Chancellor Pradeep Khosla said the new venue would strengthen the local arts community, including south of the U.S.-Mexico border. “This museum will extend our arts programming to downtown, forge connections between artists across our binational region, and catalyze a thriving arts culture in the heart of the city,” he said. City officials said the new venue could also bring badly needed foot traffic to downtown, where businesses have struggled since the pandemic and the closure of Horton Plaza. Steve Strauss, president of the contemporary art museum’s board, said the venue and the area surrounding it are in a strong place with UCSD at the helm. “You have a trusted, funded partner with vision,” he said. Strauss tried to refute criticisms that the sale to UCSD wasn’t transparent. He said the property had been listed publicly for sale in February but that negotiations with UCSD didn’t begin until April. But he conceded the city’s requirement that the site be used for cultural and arts programming eliminated many potential buyers. Strauss said the museum invested more than $35 million in the site, which began operating in 2007. The museum significantly expanded its flagship La Jolla campus in 2022.